SIBO: small intestine bacterial overgrowth
SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) is a real clinger.
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Rarely arising independently on its own, it is found in tandem with a number of other digestive disorders and distresses.
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IBS, gallstones & gallbladder trouble, gallbladder removal, fatty liver, Celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disorders/IBD (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis) and microscopic colitis (lymphocytic colitis, collagenous colitis) all increase risk of developing SIBO.
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SIBO is an overabundance of bacteria where they do NOT belong. It is a type of dysbiosis. The small intestine only contains tiny amounts of bacteria in a healthy digestive tract. It is the large intestine that houses the microbiome – the trillions of beneficial bacteria that are central to digestive & general health.
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Unlike the large intestine, the small intestine is not equipped to house bacteria. Once established in the small intestine, bacteria do their thing: they ferment & metabolize. This fermentation produces gas, bloating, distension, reflux, heartburn, belching & a plethora of other symptoms, including effects outside the gut. Metabolic byproducts are provocative to the immune system and irritating to the lining of the small intestine. The overgrown bacteria create biofilms to protect themselves in the small intestine, which helps them resist treatment.
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The symptoms that SIBO creates are virtually indistinguishable from functional gastrointestinal disorders and IBS.
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And this is precisely why it lays undiagnosed and untreated for so long. Although the symptoms of SIBO are super general and common, the treatment is very specific and is not the same as these other disorders.
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I lay out my exact treatment approach (and a whole lot more) in my free training, SIBO School.
What creates SIBO
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At the very root of it, SIBO is a result of a dysfunctional MMC. The migrating motor complex is an aspect of your Second Brain that regularly cleanses and moves the small intestine through timed, rhythmical waves. These waves help move bacteria and food out of the small intestine.
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When the MMC is compromised, motility in the small intestine slows waaaaaayyy down. This provides an opportunity for bacteria to adhere to the wall of the small intestine, and plenty of food for them to feed on & ferment.
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Additionally, low stomach acid (through age, stress or medications), abnormal/thick bile (through gallbladder disease) or decreased pancreatic enzyme output will further set the stage for SIBO. Acid, bile and enzymes are antimicrobial and protect against overgrowth AND they help keep the small intestine moving appropriately.
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Why is SIBO so common with other gastrointestinal related disorders?
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In IBS (irritable bowel syndrome): the two things that define IBS are an imbalanced microbiome and a dysfunctional second brain. Stool quality, quantity and regularity are all compromised. Studies show up to 84% of IBS sufferers ALSO have SIBO. SIBO also is characterized by dysbiosis (bacteria where they don’t belong) and a dysfunctional Second Brain (the MMC, part of the second brain, is not working properly.
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In gallbladder disease & fatty liver: it all boils down to bile here! Thin, healthy bile (not sludgy or bound up in stones) helps the MMC stay on course. When bile is not healthy (as in all gallbladder & liver disorders) it cannot do its job, thus slowing the MMC down.
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In inflammatory bowel disease and microscopic colitis: these disorders are also characterized by motility problems, often diarrhea-based. In these disorders, the speed of the large intestine is FAST (that’s why you’ve got great quantities of loss, watery stool), but the small intestine is SLOW. It’s the reverse. And a slow small intestine fosters SIBO.
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Long term consequences
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Any form of dysbiosis, any form of infection in the gut – if left long enough, will compromise the lining of the intestines and create inflammation, culminating in increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut). This in turn provokes the immune system, creating more inflammation, can set you up for accumulating food sensitivities, and ultimately compromise your ability to absorb and break down your food.
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Learn more and help yourself through confident action
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I have created a free online training that covers everything from the pathophysiology and risk factors of SIBO to the symptoms of it; how to test for it & interpret the results and the exact treatment protocols used by conventional & doctor integrative doctors. This course will give you the confidence to get the help and treatment that you need so you can FEEL BETTER.
